UPSC Prelims 2005 Q30: Science & Technology – Defence Technology
Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
- (a) Arjun : Indigenous produced Main Battle Tank (MBT)
- (b) Phalcon : Cruise missile supplied by Russia to India
- (c) Saras : Indigenously developed civilian passenger aircraft
- (d) Operation Seabird : New Indian Naval Base at Karwar
Answer: (b) Phalcon : Cruise missile supplied by Russia to India
Explanation
Defence systems and their descriptions
| Pair | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Arjun - indigenous MBT | Correct |
| Phalcon - cruise missile from Russia | Wrong — Phalcon is an airborne early warning (AWACS) radar system from Israel |
| Saras - civilian passenger aircraft | Correct (NAL light transport aircraft) |
| Operation Seabird - naval base at Karwar | Correct |
The Phalcon is an Israeli airborne warning and control system, not a Russian cruise missile.
Answer: (b) Phalcon : Cruise missile supplied by Russia to India.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Arjun is the indigenous main battle tank.
- (b) CORRECT. Phalcon is an Israeli AWACS radar, so this pair is wrong.
- (c) Incorrect. Saras is a civilian aircraft developed by NAL.
- (d) Incorrect. Operation Seabird is the Karwar naval base project.
Key point
Phalcon (Israel, on Russian IL-76), BrahMos (Russia cruise missile).
Remember
Phalcon is an Israeli AWACS, not a cruise missile.
Common mistakes
- Mixing Phalcon with BrahMos, the cruise missile.
- Thinking Russia supplied the Phalcon, though it came from Israel.
- Forgetting Seabird refers to the Karwar base.
Exam tip
AWACS: Phalcon radar from Israel, mounted on Russian IL-76 aircraft.
Sources
- Ministry of Defence — annual report 2004-05
- BrahMos Aerospace — BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
- CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories — Saras light transport aircraft